The Great Knitting Needle Debate!

Last night I didn't have anything to do so I headed over to Park Slope and hung out with the ladies of the Park Slope Knitting Group. As usual had a great time and learned new things. Or I should say I learned about ways to spend even more of my hard earned money on.

Every time I hang out with a group of knitters I leave with a wealth of knowledge and the next day my my pockets get a little emptier, because I had to buy the must have yarn, book, notion and etc that everyone was talking about it.

Last night the great needle debate came up. What are the best knitting needles on the market and does your needle effect the speed of your knitting?

I have to admit I am a bit skeptical of the idea my knitting needle determines how fast or slow I knit. I am a huge fan of Addi Turbo needles. When I started knitting several years ago they were the biggest rage. A experience knitter that I was hanging out with at the time kept telling me that they would change my life and I would throw away all of my Susan Bates needles after using the Addi Turbo. I did notice that they yarn glided better on the "better" needle, but I honestly didn't notice that I knitted faster or slower on either needle. I will also admit that I didn't buy any Susan Bate needles after that, but I didn't throw the ones that I had out.

(side note: The issue I have with finishing projects quickly has very little to do with the speed that I knit. It is more about the fact that I put projects to the side for months on end. I think when I actually knit I move quickly. If they could make needles that would poke me in the ass when I wasn't working my projects, I would pay extra for that.)

Last night one of the ladies told about the new must have needle Signature Needle Arts (quick note for my frugal friends out there, you will clutch your pearls when you see the price of these things, because the price tag is crazy. Even I had to say WTF about the price....$60 for one pair of needles! But of course you know the other side of my brain was saying I gotta check those bad boys out.)

As usual when I hear about anything new I have to ask a million questions. Why should I spend $60 on these needles? What makes them better than other needles? The answer that I got back was they make you knit faster and they are super smooth. Hearing that made me think about my dear Addi Turbo Needles, because that is what people say about Addi Turbos, so of course I had to ask how are they different than Addi Turbos. I think I stumped the woman who was telling me about the needles with that question. She couldn't give me a solid answer on how they are different than Addi Turbo Needles. It sounds like the only difference is that the Signature Needle Arts needles have different point types and the extra dollars you have to pay. After learning about the Signature Needles I came to the conclusion that I was not missing out on anything if I am already using Addi Turbo needles. If happen to find some while I am out, then I will buy them, but that seems very unlikely since they are only sold in one store in NYC.

With that being said I have some questions for you my dear readers:

• Have you tried the Signature Needles?

• Do you notice if you knit faster or slower with certain needles?

• What kind of needles do you use?

• What is the most you have spent on a pair of needles?
  

hmmm...april

It's that time of the month....time to start thinking about next month's project. What should I make? I will finish Mason's rocking old man inspired BSJ. I really like how the sweater is turning out.

Maybe I should start something for the mystery baby. (FYI she was born yesterday.) As I typed that a little voice in my head yelled no more baby stuff. I am going to table mystery baby's present until a later date. I am getting baby burn out.

I feel like all I make now is baby stuff and becoming know as the baby knitter. Don't get me wrong, I love the babies, but I gotta make other stuff.

So back to what should I make in April...I should incorporate the learn something new part of my 2011 resolutions. Maybe i should attempt to learn how to knit two socks at one time in April. I have everything i need and it will be a good project for the plane ride to Austin. Hmmm....let me me put some thought into this. April i is going to be nutty. The big event is a few weeks away. OK new idea...I will try to learn how to make two socks at a time, but if I can't then my goal for the month will be make a pair of socks (one sock at a time).

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March Update

Finally an monthly update that I am happy to report back on. There are still a few more days left in March and I am happy to tell all of you that I have met my goal already for March!!!

Lesson learned I am going to make my goals easy for me to achieve. I shouldn't beat myself up not making my knitting goals. Knitting should be fun and not a job. :)

This month's goal was to start a new project and knit at least 25 rows or 25% of the project. 2 weeks ago I started a stripped BSJ for Mason and on row 28! I could had had more done, but I didn't like the gauge on the first sweater I started. It was too airy.

I really like the way it is coming out. Originally, I was going to use all 4 colors that I picked for him, but now I think I am going to just use the green and the blue. I really like the way the two colors together. I may add a third color when I do the button hole area.

I gave Mason his blanket over the weekend. He looks so cute in it. I realized seeing him in his blanket that I make big ass baby blankets and babies are tiny. O well, it is better than me making 5 blankets for one child. They can use this blanket until they are 5 or 6.

2011 Finished Objects

Just taking a moment to showcase what I have finished so far :)...Can't wait to add more pics!

Washed and Soon to be Delivered

Do you notice that something is missing from the what's on my needles section of the blog? That's right baby Olivia's BSJ is not hanging out there anymore. Suzy sewed up the shoulders and washed it today. So it is officially done. Now all I have to do it mail it. (Special hugs and kisses to Suzy.)

I gotta admit it is really cute. I did make some boo boos, but they will not stop her from wearing the sweater. It's not like I can't make her another one.

I also washed Mason's blanket and it washed really well. I will use Bernat acrylic yarn again.

Today I meet up with a girl from the neighborhood and we knitted for a couple for an hour or so and I started the first 10 rows of Mason's BSJ. I am excited to see how it turns out.

Since my goal is to only knit 25 rows of whatever project I start this month, then I am half way there for my goal of the month.

I noticed something interesting. Knitting with Vanna's Choice yarn and crocheting with Vanna Choice yarn is very different. I kept reading that the yarn splits a lot, but didn't experience until I started knitting with it. Not sure if I am going to knit with this yarn again. I think the sweater is going to cute. I am starting it with the rust color and I am going to do that for the first 15 rows. Not sure what color I am going to do after that.

I need your help, I ran into an old friend today coming back from the laundromat and she asked me if I was still knitting and I showed her the bsj and she asked me to make one to sell in her store. I told her if I have a spare moment and wasn't doing anything I would. What kind of yarn should I use and how much should I charge for the sweater?

Hello March!

It's time for me to figure out what I am going to do with my knitting life for the month of March.

What should I do? Hmmmm....March is a little nutty, so I am not going to set myself up for failure and heartbreak by starting something major and trying to finish it in the same month.

The plan for this month is I am going to start a major project and I only have to finish a 1/4 of it. That should only be 25 rows. I think I can handle 25 rows in a month.

This month's project is....a stripped baby surprise jacket for my nephew Mason. If I get really daring I am going to put a collar on it. I want to go for the feeling of a little old man sweater, because he reminds me of a cute little old man. :)

I want to do another BSJ, because I still haven't mastered the BSJ. Suzy informed me the other day that I made a little boo-boo on Baby Olivia's BSJ, so I want to try it again, but this time with stripes and maybe add a collar. I am going to use 4 colors of Vanna's Choice yarn that purchased at Micheal's over the summer.

I am sure next month, I will make something for the mystery baby.

@Rachael Younger - I can now talk about the mystery baby, because it is no longer a mystery. My sister (Janice ) and I have been thinking that our cousin in law is expecting a baby. She finally made the announcement that she is expecting. Before the end of the year, I will have a new little cousin. I am so excited, because they already have 3 little girls and they are the most amazing/beautiful children. I expect the 4th child just as amazing.

Issues!

I broke a major goal already...I purchased yarn today. After today's purchase from School Products I started to wonder if I have a serious problem, but I couldn't figure out what the problem is.

Am I addicted to yarn or am I just a cookie cutter hoarder? I must confess that I love watching reality based documentaries like AE's Hoarder's, TLC's Buried Alive and TLC's Strange Addiction. I am so fascinated by how people's mind work and how they end up living in such horrible conditions. How do they live in homes with 25 dead rabbits and 1000 pounds of shitty diapers with no running water?

When I got home after buying several balls of Karbella yarn. I was on a high thinking of all of the things that I am going to make and then I got home and opened my little storage space where I keep my stash and realized that I did it again. I purchased yarn, that I have no real plans for. It will sit in my plastic tub for years to come. When I look at all of the yarn sitting in the plastic container I realized that I had big dreams for all of them when I purchased and none of them have come true.

As I stood in my storage area I think back on the many hoarding reality shows that I have watched and I could hear the words that they all say. "I can't throw this out, because I plan use this. I know exactly what I am going to use it for. I just haven't had the time to do it, but as soon as I have the chance I will start it."

At that moment, I realized that I am no better than the woman who lives in the house filled with shitty diapers and that I do not hoard everything I just love the fiber goodness. I am afraid that one day I am going wake up in a house surrounded in yarn and AE will be knocking at my at door trying to tape an episode of Hoarders called the Yarn Lady episode.

My question is would it be so bad to live in house that is filled with yarn. I don't think so. :) Yarn is a million times better than shitty diapers.

I am not going to beat myself up over today's purchase, because School Products is a great store and I like supporting it. I like the owners and it is the oldest yarn shop in New York City. Plus I am working on fighting another addiction...french fries. I guess if I had to let one of my additions take over this week I would rather be yarn than the french fries.

With that being said...I need to figure out how I am going use my stash in March.